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MOE LOOPHOLE UNFAIRLY ADVANTAGES FOREIGNERS OVER S'PORE KIDS

Submitted by farhan on Fri, 09/09/2016 - 3:01pm

We have a system for childrens of returning Singaporeans from overseas to be emplaced in a equivelant level in a school, which ease the stress for the parents when the whole
family return from overseas assignment. This system is very good that the students are required to take a test in order to be posted to a school, according to their capabilities.
However, this system has been exploited by new citizens from certain countries, recently. Because the Returning Singaporeans scheme by the MOE did not specify age for emplacement, which the parents noted as a loophole to gain more than a year advantage. This is unfair to locals studying here. Most countries have an education system/level almost equal to Singapore in terms of age, so that's not an issue.

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I was devestated to hear from one of the new citizen from India boasting about how he managed to fool MOE. How their diabolic scheme works is after getting citizenship they send their children back to India for school couple of years. India emplace students based on age with a simple test. They also start primary school about one-half
year early as compared to our system. For example, Indian students will complete their A-level at the age of 16, where as our childrens does that at 18. With this advantage and
MOE's scheme, these parents had resorted to exploit the system by sending their children back for couple of years and upon return get an emplacement, effectively jumping two years ahead. This is not done just for the purpose of only education. I was shaken that actually they have multi-year plans (10 to 15 years) where they gain two years advantage and a chance to enter local university at the age of 16 plus. Because they know deferment for NS is confirmed until they complete their studies. Subsequently, when they complete
university the likelyhood of a getting into OCS for NS is extremely high with a degree. No childrens of Singaporeans can ever dream of this, but it is so easy for new citizens.

By having to exploit the system they have an unfair advantage in everything from school to job. This is actually evident in our local uni's where you can see students from India
are two years younger than locals. And India's education system is vastly different from ours, which is five years of lower primary, three years of upper primary, two years of secondary and two years higher secondary. National exam is only for end of secondary and higher secondary.But we have national exam at primary six. How can it be merged with ours? In addidtion, MOE promises to emplace them above their capabilities. You can find out more by searching "returning singaporeans".

Can the MOE student emplacement work based on age, where it will be fair for all? I hope MOE should review the system and fine tune. Be fair to us!